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John Benson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 06 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1070
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 10:52am | IP Logged | 1
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John Byrne wrote:
Would you say the same after watching, say, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA on an iPhone? Tactile experience is part of reading comics. Many writers and artist, myself included, design the work with the tactile experience in mind. The physical turning of the page, for instance. No digital version can create that effect as it exists in the real world. Nor can viewing pages reduced or, worse, in pieces, match the impact of a full page on paper. And if you drop a comicbook, the pages don't go blank. |
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This is just not true. I dropped an issue of Alpha Flight when I was a kid and Marvel has yet to refund my money.
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Thom Price
Byrne Robotics Member
L’Homme Diabolique
Joined: 29 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 7593
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 11:27am | IP Logged | 2
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I don't think the print media is in any danger of disappearing, even if digital will inevitably surpass it (assuming that hasn't already happened), but I do wonder about physical comic books.
It's such an incredibly small audience already; how much more can it fragment before it's no longer economically feasible or desirable to print them? Smaller companies may just alter their expectations, but how much interest will mega-corporations like Warner Brothers and Disney continue to have in publishing comic books if the already small audience cuts in half or more?
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Mark McKay
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2260
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 11:31am | IP Logged | 3
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Thinking about this some more, I believe the digital platform is the rebirth of the news stand market, that the Direct Sales Market killed off. It opens things up big time.
Basically, comics are no longer longer relegated to specialty shops that you have to willingly seek out. They're no longer controlled essentially by a single distributor.
And digital comics put an end to speculators as well, as comics are no longer collectibles. They're collectable to the people who enjoy reading them.
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Mark McKay
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2260
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 11:33am | IP Logged | 4
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Also, few creators out there could bring to the table what JB has: the ability to write, pencil, ink and letter his own comics. He could do phenomenal in the digital market.
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Clifford Boudreaux
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 19 July 2012
Posts: 443
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 11:34am | IP Logged | 5
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I don't think the print media is in any danger of disappearing, even if digital will inevitably surpass it (assuming that hasn't already happened), but I do wonder about physical comic books.
Especially if retailers like Amazon continue to undercut them. Looking through my wishlist, I see a bunch of $18-20 trade paperback collections which I can buy on digital for $7.
Even the slimmest of these volumes are four issues long, so that's less than $2 an issue.
If you have a sincere comic habit, then a tablet pays for itself pretty quickly.
Edited by Clifford Boudreaux on 31 December 2012 at 11:35am
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Bob Simko
Byrne Robotics Security
Negative Mod
Joined: 16 April 2004
Posts: 5982
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 12:41pm | IP Logged | 6
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Newsweek just printed their last paper edition...their format goes to digital only. I doubt that was a decision made lightly, and gives pretty good insight into the emerging role of digital. If Newsweek finds the physical print medium difficult to survive in, how can comics hope to stay alive without strongly embracing the digital environment? Given the current state of sales on many print comics, you think they'd be leading the charge even more so than they are into digital.
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Nathan Greno
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 20 April 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 9154
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 4:16pm | IP Logged | 7
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Byrne: Indeed they did not. But you're arguing against your own case.*** Thom: I am not. My attitude towards movies and comic books are consistent. With apologies the creators' intentions, I will watch these films in whatever format I consider most convenient and desirable. Since you feel that comic books are not done their due respect in digital format, I assume you are only watching films in the theater experience their makers intended? If not, it seems to me that you are the one arguing against your own case. Why should comics be given a treatment that you don't think films deserve? --- I work in the film industry, Thom. You pose an interesting question above.
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David Ferguson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 17 March 2007
Location: Ireland
Posts: 6782
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 4:34pm | IP Logged | 8
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For me, it's a space issue. I have had to move twice and moving all the comics was a big hassle. I now buy all single issues digitally and then certain collections when they out in hardcover.
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Brad Krawchuk
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 19 June 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 5819
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 5:22pm | IP Logged | 9
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I'd agree with Thom's point about theatres being the primary format for movies and home video being a secondary experience, but I was talking with a group of guys at work who each bought 60" LCD or Plasma TVs for Christmas.
Everyone I know is constantly upgrading their home entertainment systems to be as close to theatre quality as possible. Big screens, surround sound systems, subwoofers, heck - even darker painted rooms and light-blocking drapery - all in an effort to get as close to a theatrical experience as possible WITHOUT the high food costs and crappy behaviour from fellow patrons.
Also, when it comes to buying digital and not owning the product, and being at the mercy of the company deciding to delete the file you paid for off your harddrive/iOS device, nearly everyone I know advocates piracy of some form or another to either modify those files so they can't be deleted (or so they can be archived without fear of deletion) or outright piracy to get the file in the first place so that NO ONE gets the money for the product.
You want to own a movie, a song, a comic - you either go out and buy the hard copy or you steal it, physically or electronically. Buying electronically is basically very expensive renting; even my digital copy of UP! which I got legally as a pack-in with my Blu/DVD copy can't be used again. I loaded it on my iMac (which took 2/5 uses for some reason), I loaded it on my old iPod (that was the 3rd of 5 uses, and the iPod died so it was wasted), and when I reformatted my iMac I restored it and it again counted for 2/5 uses so I'm all done.
If I only had that digital copy, I'd have to keep this computer (and never reformat it again) forever to watch the movie. Good thing I have the Blu/DVD!
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Trevor Phillip
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 June 2012
Posts: 305
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 6:57pm | IP Logged | 10
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Byrne: Indeed they did not. But you're arguing against your own case.*** Thom: I am not. My attitude towards movies and comic books are consistent. With apologies the creators' intentions, I will watch these films in whatever format I consider most convenient and desirable. Since you feel that comic books are not done their due respect in digital format, I assume you are only watching films in the theater experience their makers intended? If not, it seems to me that you are the one arguing against your own case. Why should comics be given a treatment that you don't think films deserve? --- I work in the film industry, Thom. You pose an interesting question above.
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Actually -- what Thom discusses is exactly what is occurring in the film industry. For the longest time THEATERS / CINEMAS were the superior technology, even after VHS made it possible to watch your favorite film at home -- the quality of the home experience was nothing compared to a cinema and to make a comparable home theater was cost prohibitive to most (I had a friend - who passed away a few years ago - who had a 35 mm projector in his home). DVD came and closed this gap -- but today, bluRay and cheap home theater set-ups are finally hitting the bottom line of cinemas. This shift has seen the style of film making change -- what was once only being considered for the massive big screen, now film-makers consider the home theater experience, too.
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Wallace Sellars
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 01 May 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 17699
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 7:24pm | IP Logged | 11
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I have to say that of the "traditional" comics I have read on screen, ARCHIE
stuff works best for me. The "simple" style of bold lines and flat colors is a
nice fit for an iPad or iPhone when viewed panel by panel. I still prefer
reading them the "regular" way though.
I have a question that probably doesn't warrant a new thread, and is sort of
related.
Are there any comics that have only been presented in digital format that
you guys would like to see in print form?
A friend let me read the first five issues of EDISON REX on his iPad, and
though it felt just fine on screen, I think I'd enjoy reading it in print format as
well.
And then there's YOU GO, GHOUL...
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Trevor Phillip
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 June 2012
Posts: 305
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| Posted: 31 December 2012 at 7:33pm | IP Logged | 12
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I'd like to touch on the MARK McKAY post above.
I'd never thought about DIGITAL comics like that -- you're absolutely correct.
Digital is bringing comics BACK to the fans, like the days of the newsstand where the retailer didn't pick and choose what to stock -- they just stoced what they received.
Absolutely, I agree with remarks John Byrne makes from time to time about retailers ignoring his comic solicitations since "they" don't like his books or they "don't sell" etc. Over the years, I've spoken with other creators at conventions who express similar opinions about the direct market AND I've spoken with retailers who confirm they don't stock so-and-so books except for special orders. DIGITAL truly is a way for these creators to bypass the direct market and sell directly to the fans again - with NO print costs.
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Topic Closed)
